War Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered Army Secretary Dan Driscoll to remove Army Col. Dave Butler, a senior public affairs officer who previously served under former Joint Chiefs Chairman Mark Milley, according to multiple reports.

Butler had been slated for promotion to brigadier general and was serving as a strategic adviser and spokesman for Army leadership. His name was included on a list of roughly three dozen promotion-eligible officers whose advancements had been stalled for several months.

Reports indicate Hegseth objected to Butler’s planned elevation, though the specific rationale has not been publicly detailed. To prevent continued delays affecting other officers, Butler submitted retirement paperwork rather than remain on the promotion list.

Driscoll issued a statement thanking Butler for his service but did not elaborate on the circumstances surrounding his departure, describing him as an important contributor to Army transformation efforts.

The intervention is considered unusual, as civilian defense leaders rarely become directly involved in personnel decisions involving Army spokesmen. Hegseth has previously taken administrative steps concerning Milley, including suspending his security clearance and initiating a Pentagon inspector general review of his prior conduct.

Military officials cited in reporting said Butler volunteered to remove his name from consideration if doing so would allow other promotions to proceed. The promotion list had reportedly been delayed for nearly four months amid concerns from Hegseth about certain selections made by the Army board, though the secretary does not have unilateral authority to strike officers from the list.

Driscoll had reportedly resisted earlier calls to remove Butler, pointing to his experience in Army modernization initiatives and his handling of high-profile events, including major anniversary celebrations and a large-scale military parade in Washington.

The development comes as Hegseth continues broader efforts to reshape Pentagon leadership, an initiative supporters argue is aimed at restoring accountability and prioritizing operational readiness.